The Truth about Lord and Lady Prista

Dear Mother
 
Well. I hope you’re happy.
 
Today was another wonderful adventure with my fabulous friendship group of misfits. Their individual quirks and mannerisms are certainly a curiosity and I keenly anticipate their further observation and study.
 
That is, unless you and Father want me back in the Capital.
 
No matter, I am certain I will prove myself.
 
Just last night, we found ourselves within an ancient, historical crypt with the remains of Lord and Lady Prista and their travelling knights. Unfortunately it seemed that none of them took too well to … well… death. The King and two of his knights awaited us in a chamber locked by a mechanical puzzle which responded to a sequence of pressure points applied consecutively.
 
No guesses who figured the sequence out first, mummy.
 
However, I must admit it was my companion Brax, the Ozhov Syndicate character, who was quick enough to shut the door immediately upon opening, thus granting us a much-needed rest.
 
So it was not until this morning that we reopened the chamber and confronted the necromantic horrors within.
 
First, we attempted to pull one of the knights through the door. His full plate armour, however, did not save him from the dissolution of his physical matter upon his exit from the chamber - I suspect that such a reaction was caused by exiting the parameter of effectivity within which the spell was efficacious.
 
On our next attempt we used dear Ares to complete the pattern while the rest of us prepared ourselves. Ignis manned the door opening (he’s from the Borris legion you know - there are some advantages to this cross-guild collaborative nonsense).
 
Acting as a team, we managed to dispense with all the undead rif-raf with only Cromren briefly suffering from a spell of unconsciousness.
 
Underneath the crypt we found the individual tombs, both disturbed, of Lord and Lady Prista. The mural told the tale of the jungle around Prista alight with swathes of angry red fire as the peasants rose up to kill the Lord and Lady and their 3 remaining faithful knights. Above Lady Prista’s crypt was inscribed the following (in its original Elvish - I know you would not wish to lose the nuances Maman
 
If you made it this far, you now know the truth or already knew it, that Lord and Lady Prista sought necromantic magic to attain eternal life. Their remains are now protected by magical safeguards to prevent them from rising and so that they can be remembered for what they were, rather than what they became.
 
Inside the crypt we also found a curious bag with animal embroidery. Inside the orb was a small fuzzy sphere. I will relay more on this object later but I have inserted a sketch at the back of this letter as a record and for your reference.
 
We returned to the front of the Tomb and there encountered another magical item! It was an immovable rod! Can you believe it? One of my most fascinating and exciting discoveries yet. Luckily, Brax is holding on to it for me. He is a dear.
 
We returned to Prista and to the fort where we were met by lady Seyador Fray, who seems to be the source of true power here. It is so unfortunate when power falls from the hands of those placed in office, but I am afraid that that is the frightful incompetence of some of the aristocracy.
 
We collected the bounties for our efforts. While not exactly lucrative, this travelling adventurer business does not seem to be wholly without its rewards.
 
Outside the Fort while investigating the bag, Cromren made the excellent discovery that it in fact contained balls which produced animals, of seemingly random description. On this occasion, it produced a Giant Badger and two Giant Elks. Brax of course immediately went to enquiry as to services which could be provided to his Giant Elk, Dawn Dancer, in order to spread some of his newfound opportunity among the working class. He truly is a man of the people.
 
Anyway, we have found an appropriate inn for the evening, everyone is abed apart from Ignis who has taken on an intriguing shade of purple - perhaps it is due to the ongoing decline in blood hydration. I will have to experiment further.
 
Tell father I said… [this part is scratched out and it simply concludes:]
 
Your faithful daughter, Anastasia